What it means, why it happens, what it affects, and practical ways to clear or correct it (Philippine context)

This article is for general information in the Philippine setting. It is not a substitute for advice from a lawyer for your specific facts.

1) Police Clearance basics: what it is (and what it isn’t)

A Police Clearance is a certification issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) (typically through the local police station/city/municipal police office and its computerized clearance system) stating whether the applicant has a record in the police database used for clearance purposes.

It is different from an NBI Clearance:

Police Clearance commonly reflects records captured/maintained at the PNP level (including local entries and information fed into the clearance system).
NBI Clearance is issued by the NBI and is often used for broader national checks (and is the clearance many employers prefer for “nationwide” screening).

Having “With Record” on a Police Clearance does not automatically mean you have been convicted of a crime. It means the police clearance database is returning a match or entry associated with your name and/or biometric identifiers that requires verification or is being flagged.

2) What “WITH RECORD” commonly means

In practice, “WITH RECORD” is a flag that the PNP clearance system found something that could be associated with you. Common scenarios:

A. Namesake / “same name” match

Your name (and sometimes birthdate) matches someone with a derogatory record (e.g., suspect, respondent, accused, wanted person) but it may not be you. This is the single most common reason applicants get flagged.

B. Existing police entry involving you (not necessarily a conviction)

Examples:

You were reported, complained against, or listed as a respondent/suspect in a police report.
Your name appears in an incident report, complaint sheet, or other blotter-related documentation.
There is an entry referencing your involvement in an incident (even as “for record purposes”), depending on how your local office encoded it.

C. Pending case / warrant / wanted-person information

If there is a pending criminal case or an outstanding warrant, a clearance can be flagged and may not be releasable as “clear” until the legal situation is resolved.

D. Old case with a favorable outcome that wasn’t updated

You may have had a case that was dismissed, archived, withdrawn, or you were acquitted, but the police database still shows an entry because no one updated the record with the final disposition.

E. Data entry errors

Wrong middle name, suffix, birthdate, address, or mismatched encoding can cause a record to “stick” to you.

Key point: “With Record” is often about verification and database status, not a final determination of guilt.

3) What counts as a “record” in this context

The PNP’s “record” for clearance purposes can include any derogatory information (often abbreviated as “DI”) associated with a person, such as:

Being named as a suspect/respondent in a complaint,
A pending investigation or case,
Wanted-person/warrant information,
Certain incident report references,
Other police-filed entries that the clearance system treats as “derogatory.”

This is why people are sometimes surprised: the “record” may be an allegation or an old unresolved entry, not necessarily a conviction.

4) Why “With Record” matters (practical effects)

A. Employment and onboarding

Many employers treat a flagged clearance as requiring explanation or additional documents. Some will ask for:

a corrected/updated Police Clearance,
an NBI Clearance,
court documents showing dismissal/acquittal,
an affidavit explaining the namesake issue.

B. Licensing, permits, and transactions

Certain applications (security guard requirements, some local permits, government transactions) may require a police clearance without adverse remarks, or they may require extra verification.

C. Reputation and delays

Even when you are innocent or it’s a namesake issue, “With Record” can cause delays and repeated trips unless it’s properly corrected.

5) The most important distinction: “record” vs. “conviction”

A conviction is a judicial outcome (a court judgment). Police clearance “records” can be:

allegations,
investigatory entries,
pending cases,
administrative entries,
or identity-matched information.

If you need to explain this to an employer: “With Record” does not automatically mean convicted; it means there is an entry requiring verification or reflecting a case status.”

6) First steps when you see “WITH RECORD”

Step 1: Don’t panic—identify what kind of record it is

Ask (politely and directly) what triggered the flag:

namesake match?
an old entry?
pending case?
warrant information?
blotter/complaint reference?

The clearance office usually routes you to the unit that handles verification (often records/clearance/ID section).

Step 2: Gather identity-proof documents

Bring originals and copies if possible:

Government ID(s)
Birth certificate (PSA) if available
Any document that clarifies middle name/suffix/date of birth
If you have a common name: barangay certificate/ID, and any document showing full name and personal details

Step 3: Expect fingerprint/biometric verification

Where available, biometrics are used to separate you from a namesake. If the “record” belongs to someone else, verification should support clearing you.

7) How to “clear” a Police Clearance with “With Record” (by scenario)

Scenario A: Namesake / same-name hit

Goal: Prove you are not the person connected to the derogatory record.

What usually works:

Biometric verification (fingerprints) against the record.
Submission of supporting identity documents (IDs, birth certificate).
If needed, a certification from the police office that the derogatory entry is not you (some offices can annotate or note “not identical” after verification).

Practical tips:

Ensure your profile data (full name, middle name, suffix, birthdate) is consistent across documents.
If your middle name is often missing in your IDs, bring a document that shows it clearly (PSA birth certificate helps).

Scenario B: Data entry error (your details were encoded incorrectly)

Goal: Correct or update your personal data in the clearance system.

What to do:

Request correction/rectification of your encoded details (name spelling, birthdate, etc.).
Present documentary proof (IDs, PSA birth certificate).
Ask for reprocessing after correction.

This is also where the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173) can be relevant: as a general rule, individuals have the right to seek correction of inaccurate personal information, subject to lawful limitations and law-enforcement considerations.

Scenario C: You were complained against, but the case was dismissed/withdrawn/archived or you were acquitted

Goal: Update the record to reflect the final disposition.

What to prepare (as applicable):

Court Order / Decision / Resolution showing dismissal/acquittal
Certificate of Finality (when available/appropriate)
Prosecutor’s Resolution (for cases dismissed at the prosecutor level)
Entry of Judgment or similar proof (if applicable)
Any document showing the case number and that you are the same person named in the case

Steps:

Go to the police office/records section handling the derogatory entry.
Request that the record be updated/annotated to reflect the dismissal/acquittal/closure.
Submit certified copies (certified true copy is often preferred).
Request re-issuance of clearance once the system reflects the updated status.

Important: A dismissal/acquittal does not always mean the record disappears from all police files; often it is retained but updated to show it was resolved in your favor.

Scenario D: Pending case

Goal: Resolve the legal status; clearance won’t be “clean” until status changes.

What to do:

Confirm the details: case number, court/prosecutor’s office, stage.
If you believe you’re wrongly identified (identity issue), treat as a namesake problem and push biometric verification and documentation.
If it’s truly your case, consult a lawyer about the best legal steps (appearance, motions, dismissal, settlement where lawful, etc.).

Scenario E: Outstanding warrant / wanted-person information

Goal: Address the warrant through proper legal process.

Reality check: This usually cannot be “cleared” administratively. You generally need to:

verify the warrant details (court, docket, offense),
engage counsel,
address it through the court (e.g., voluntary surrender, motions, bail where applicable, quashal if warranted).

If the warrant belongs to a namesake, focus on identity verification and supporting documents.

Scenario F: Blotter/incident entry (including barangay-related disputes)

Goal: Clarify the nature and status of the incident entry.

Notes:

A police blotter entry is essentially a record that something was reported. It does not equal guilt.
Some disputes are subject to Katarungang Pambarangay processes (conciliation/mediation) depending on parties and issues; settlements may exist, but the fact of the report may still remain in records.

What you can often do:

Request that the entry reflect the current status: settled, closed, unfounded, no further action, etc., depending on what documents exist.
Bring proof of settlement/closure (barangay settlement documents, prosecutor’s resolution, etc.).

Be cautious: “deleting” a blotter entry is not always allowed; systems usually preserve records but can add disposition notes.

8) Can you get the “record” removed entirely?

In many real-world cases, what is achievable is:

Correction (if erroneous),
Separation from a namesake (identity confirmation),
Updating/annotation (to reflect dismissal/acquittal/closure), rather than total erasure.

Complete removal may be limited by:

record-retention policies,
law-enforcement exemptions or limitations,
the need to preserve official records.

For minors/children in conflict with the law, confidentiality rules under juvenile justice laws (e.g., RA 9344 as amended) can change how records are handled, and specialized advice is important.

9) A practical “clearance cleaning” checklist

Bring:

2 government IDs
PSA birth certificate (if available)
Any document showing full middle name/suffix/birthdate clearly
If there was a case:
- prosecutor’s resolution / court order
- certificate of finality (if applicable)
- proof of identity matching the case name
If it’s a namesake issue:
- additional identity documents (barangay certificate, old IDs, school records—anything official)

Ask for:

the specific reason for the “With Record” flag,
the case/reference details (date, place, report number if they can provide),
the office/unit handling updates,
reprocessing steps after verification/update.

Keep:

photocopies of everything you submit,
names/positions of the personnel you spoke with,
dates of visits and instructions given.

10) How to explain “With Record” to an employer (sample wording)

You can say something like:

Namesake: “My Police Clearance was tagged ‘With Record’ due to a name match. I’m undergoing verification and will submit the updated clearance/certification after fingerprint confirmation.”
Resolved case: “The ‘With Record’ tag relates to an old case that has already been dismissed/resolved. I’m submitting the dismissal/acquittal documents and requesting the police records update so the clearance reflects the final disposition.”

Avoid oversharing details unless necessary; provide supporting documents when requested.

11) When to consult a lawyer

Get legal help promptly if:

the flag involves an alleged warrant or wanted-person entry,
you discover a pending criminal case you didn’t know about,
the record is clearly wrong but the office refuses to correct it despite strong documents,
your employment is at risk and you need formal letters/requests or to obtain certified court records efficiently.

12) Frequently asked questions

“Does ‘With Record’ mean I have a criminal record?”

Not necessarily. It means the police clearance system found an entry that needs verification or is tagged as derogatory information. A criminal conviction is determined by a court.

“Can I just get an NBI Clearance instead?”

Sometimes employers accept NBI Clearance, but they may still require Police Clearance depending on policy. Also, NBI can also produce a “hit” for similar reasons (namesake, pending case, etc.).

“How long does clearing it take?”

It depends on the reason (namesake vs. pending case vs. record update requiring court documents) and how fast verification and encoding updates happen.

“If my case was dismissed, why is there still a record?”

Police systems often retain the historical entry but need to be updated to show the dismissal/acquittal/closure. Without updated disposition documents, the entry can remain flagged.

13) Bottom line

A Police Clearance marked “WITH RECORD” is a flag for verification or an existing entry, not an automatic declaration of guilt. Clearing it typically involves one of three routes:

Identity verification (namesake hits)
Data correction (encoding errors)
Disposition update (dismissal/acquittal/closure or other case outcomes)

If you tell me what the clearance office said the record relates to (namesake vs. case vs. blotter vs. warrant), I can lay out a targeted document list and a step-by-step action plan for that specific scenario.